The Columbia Police Department (CPD) continues to investigate a fatal shooting at the Lake Shore Village Apartments this past weekend. Tonight, the young victim’s mother speaks out about the incident and makes a plea for witnesses to come forward with information.
Wanda Penny-Hinton says, “If they love him like they said they do, they would come forth and tell what happened to my child. They wouldn’t just leave my child there like he’s a piece of meat. They would help my child. They don’t care about him because they’re being quiet.”
CPD officers found the 20-year-old male victim outside of Lake Shore Village Apartments shortly before 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, 2019.
According to Richland County Coroner Gary Watts, Emmitt Hart died from gunshot wounds to the upper body and was pronounced deceased at a local hospital. Loved ones describe Hart as a smart, fun-loving, and kind young man who had a passion for singing.
Emmitt Hart | Photo Courtesy of Family
His sister Nicole Hart says, “He was on the church choir and in the chorus group at his school where he graduated with honors. All day he would sing even when he was on the phone with his friends. Emmitt and his friends wrote and recorded music together. My brother was loved by a lot of people and will truly be missed.”
Penny-Hinton adds, “The person was wrong for this. You can’t take somebody’s life. They put a lot of pain and suffering on me. Seeing my child suffering – it was horrible and there was nothing I could do.”
CPD encourages citizens with information about the incident to contact CRIMESTOPPERS in any of the following ways:
CALL toll-free, 888-CRIME-SC.
LOG onto: www.midlandscrimestoppers.com, and click on the red “Submit a tip” tab.
DOWNLOAD the new P3 Tips App for Apple or Android devices.